sunflower
Featured Outdoor Activities

Hike, Beachcomb Seattle’s Discovery Park

Discovery parkAfter too many days exploring Seattle’s bustling downtown, it’s time to breathe deep in an urban park. Visitors can drive or even take the bus to Discovery Park, located not far from The Locks and Golden Gardens Beach. Take the kids, dogs, hikers, beachcombers to truly relax in the outdoors.
Discovery Park is one of Seattle’s greatest assets. This 534 acre natural area park operated by the Seattle Parks and Recreation incorporates forests, open spaces, Puget Sound views and beachfront. It is the largest city park in Seattle, and occupies most of the former Fort Lawton site.
The site is one of great beauty and diversity. Situated on Magnolia Bluff overlooking Puget Sound, Discovery Park offers spectacular view of both the Cascade and the Olympic Mountain ranges. The secluded site includes two miles of protected tidal beaches as well as open meadow lands, dramatic sea cliffs, forest groves, active sand dunes, thickets and streams.
Background of the park
Fort Lawton originally occupied much of the northwestern part of Magnolia Bluff. The bluff was named by Lt. George Davidson during a U.S. Coastal Survey in 1857, mistakenly identifying red-barked madrone trees as magnolias. Fort Lawton was developed in the late 1890s, opened in the early 1900s, and had long periods of underuse after each world war. By the 1970s, much of the fort’s land was turned over to the City of Seattle to become Discovery Park.
Address: 3801 Discovery Park Blvd, Seattle, WA 98199 > directions
Visitors Center Contact Information: (206) 386 – 4236 | E-mail:[email protected]
Park Hours Daily 4 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Visitor Center Hours/Tuesday-Sunday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed holidaysBottom of Form